Parenthood was a short-lived television show based on the 1989 Ron Howard directed film of the same name. The film was adapted into a television show in 1990 for NBC. The series delivered seriocomic vignettes on rearing children, revolving around four generations of a middle-class California (the movie however, took place in St. Louis, Missouri) family, the Buckmans. The Huffners of the film were renamed the Merricks on the TV series.

Although the television version of Parenthood was quickly cancelled, it is notable for featuring an unusual number of people who at the time were unheard of but later became famous. One of the writers on the show was Joss Whedon. The cast featured child actors Leonardo DiCaprio, David Arquette, and Thora Birch (billed simply as "Thora" here). The pilot was considered by USA Today and New York Post as the best movies-to-tv spinoff since M*A*S*H. ^[1][2]

Due to the large cast, it was once considered to be a twice-weekly series but eventually only a half-hour series spun off the one-hour pilot. The series was one of many movie-to-TV adaptations in the fall of 1990 which included Working Girl, Baby Talk (a follow up to Look Who's Talking), Ferris Bueller and Uncle Buck. ^[3]

The show was featured on the now-defunct cable network Trio in 2005 as part of their "Brilliant But Cancelled" series of shows that were cancelled before their time.

• David Arquette ... Tod Hawks (portrayed by Keanu Reeves in the film)
• Jayne Atkinson ... Karen Buckman (portrayed by Mary Steenburgen in the film)
• Ed Begley Jr. ... Gil Buckman (portrayed by Steve Martin in the film)
• Thora Birch ... Taylor Buckman (portrayed by Alisan Porter in the film)
• Maryedith Burrell ... Helen Buckman (portrayed by Dianne Wiest in the film)
• Leonardo DiCaprio ... Garry Buckman (portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix in the film)
• Mary Jackson ... Great Grandma Greenwell (portrayed by Helen Shaw in the film)
• Zachary La Voy ... Justin Buckman (reprising his role in the film)
• Sheila MacRae ... Marilyn Buckman (portrayed by Eileen Ryan in the film)
• Bess Meyer ... Julie Buckman Hawks (portrayed by Martha Plimpton in the film)
• Susan Norman ... Susan Buckman Merrick (portrayed by Harley Jane Kozak in the film)
• Ken Ober ... Nathan Merrick (portrayed by Rick Moranis in the film)
• Ivyann Schwan ... Patty Merrick (reprising her role in the film)
• Max Elliott Slade ... Kevin Buckman (portrayed by Jasen Fisher in the film)
• William Windom ... Frank Buckman (portrayed by Jason Robards in the film)

Max Elliott Slade, who portrayed Kevin Buckman on the TV series also portrayed a younger version of Steve Martin's character in the film.

1. Pilot
2. My Dad Can Beat Up Your BMW
3. The Plague
4. I Never Invested for My Father
5. Love Stinks
6. Cards & Cars
7. Hollow Halloween
8. Small Surprises
9. Take My Parents, Please
10. Thanksgiving with a T that Rhymes with B that Stands for Basketball
11. Gil vs. the Deck
12. Fun for Kids

A new television adaptation of the movie^[4]will premiere on NBC in March 2010. Craig T. Nelson and Bonnie Bedelia play the parental roles, they are joined by Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Erika Christensen, Dax Shepard and Monica Potter.^[5]

• On the set of Parenthood -- A behind the scenes look at the NBC sitcom that does a convincing imitation of family life
• Parenthood at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com